Daniel Geffken
About Daniel Geffken
Daniel Geffken is Chief Financial Officer of ProMIS Neurosciences (since March 2017), and Managing Director/co‑founder of Danforth Advisors (since June 2011). He holds a BS in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania and an MBA from Harvard Business School, and has served as CFO for Phoenix Biotech Acquisition Corp., Eloxx Pharmaceuticals, and OPY Acquisition Corp. I; board roles include Windtree Therapeutics (since 2019), and prior directorships at Arcturus Therapeutics (2017–2018), Alcobra Pharmaceuticals (2013–2017), and Elicio Therapeutics (2019–2023) . Age: 68 (as of April 16, 2025) . As Principal Financial Officer, Geffken signs SOX 302/906 certifications, attesting to controls and fair presentation in PMN’s 10‑Qs (Aug 13, 2025; Nov 12, 2025) . PMN disclosed going concern risk and significant ongoing capital needs in Q3 2025 .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| ProMIS Neurosciences | Chief Financial Officer | Since Mar 2017 | Principal Financial Officer; SOX certifications and financing execution |
| Danforth Advisors LLC | Co‑founder, Managing Director | Since Jun 2011 | Provides outsourced CFO services; PMN’s CFO services via Danforth |
| Windtree Therapeutics, Inc. | Director | Since 2019 | Governance oversight (biopharma) |
| Arcturus Therapeutics, Inc. | Director | Nov 2017–May 2018 | Short‑term governance role |
| Alcobra Pharmaceuticals Inc. | Director | May 2013–Nov 2017 | Governance during transition |
| Elicio Therapeutics (private) | Director | 2019–2023 | Governance (immunotherapy) |
External Roles
| Company | Role | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Phoenix Biotech Acquisition Corp. | CFO | Not disclosed |
| Eloxx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | CFO | Not disclosed |
| OPY Acquisition Corp. I | CFO | Not disclosed |
| Windtree Therapeutics, Inc. | Director | Since 2019 |
| Arcturus Therapeutics, Inc. | Director | Nov 2017–May 2018 |
| Alcobra Pharmaceuticals Inc. | Director | May 2013–Nov 2017 |
| Elicio Therapeutics (private) | Director | 2019–2023 |
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Terms | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Consulting fee (Danforth, initial) | Hourly CFO services at $325/hr (one‑year term starting Oct 17, 2016) | $325/hour |
| Consulting retainer (2017 amendment) | $5,000/month retainer; 4% annual increase; extended periodically | $5,000/month |
| Consulting retainer (Nov 10, 2021 amendment) | Fixed monthly fee increased to $15,000; term through Oct 29, 2024; extendable; 60‑day termination (30 days for cause) | $15,000/month |
| Payments to Danforth (2022) | Consulting services under agreement | $365,247 |
| Payments to Danforth (2023) | Consulting services under agreement | $180,000 |
Notes:
- PMN’s 2024 Summary Compensation Table lists CEO/COO/CSO but not CFO, reflecting consultant status via Danforth; no salary/bonus disclosed for CFO in 2024 .
Performance Compensation
No CFO‑specific target bonus metrics, performance measures, or annual incentive payouts are disclosed for Geffken. PMN states there is no formal plan for termination/change‑in‑control benefits generally; severance arrangements exist for certain NEOs via individual employment agreements (CSO detailed), but none are disclosed for the CFO consulting arrangement .
Equity Ownership & Alignment
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Option grants to Danforth Advisors LLC | 8,333 options granted Mar 1, 2017; 8,333 options granted Nov 12, 2021. Vesting: 25% immediately; remaining 75% in equal installments over 36 months . |
| Shares outstanding (context) | 53,811,110 Common Shares outstanding as of Sep 17, 2025; one vote per share . |
| Beneficial ownership (individual CFO) | Not individually disclosed in 2025 special proxy; group total for all directors/executive officers: 2,097,963 shares (incl. options/warrants/DSUs exercisable within 60 days) = 3.80% of class (group includes Geffken) . |
| Hedging/pledging policy | Company states “no specific requirements to prevent” NEOs/directors from using hedging instruments (e.g., collars, swaps), implying hedging is not prohibited — governance red flag for alignment . |
Employment Terms
| Term | CFO Arrangement |
|---|---|
| Structure | CFO services provided via consulting agreement between PMN and Danforth Advisors LLC (Oct 17, 2016; amended multiple times) . |
| Current fee basis | Fixed monthly fee $15,000 (as of Nov 10, 2021), term through Oct 29, 2024 with extension by mutual agreement . |
| Termination | Either party may terminate with 60 days’ notice (30 days for cause) . |
| Equity | Option awards to Danforth Advisors LLC with 25% immediate vesting; remaining over 36 months . |
| Severance/CoC | No CFO‑specific severance or change‑in‑control terms disclosed; Company lacks a formal plan (case‑by‑case for certain NEOs) . |
| Clawback/ownership guidelines | Not disclosed for CFO. Company permits hedging instruments for NEOs/directors (no prohibition) . |
Performance & Track Record
- Governance/compliance: Geffken, as Principal Financial Officer, certifies financial reporting under SOX 302/906 for PMN’s Q2 and Q3 2025 filings .
- Financing execution: Q3 2025 10‑Q shows multiple capital raises in 2025, including ATM issuance ($708,468 net), pre‑funded warrants ($697,658 net), PIPE/warrant exercises ($8,391,027 and $11,144,468 net), and warrant exercises, reflecting active treasury management .
- Operating backdrop: PMN reported net losses and a going concern disclosure requiring additional funding within 12 months (Q3 2025) .
Investment Implications
- Consultant CFO model with fixed monthly retainer and modest option grants suggests lower direct equity alignment than salaried NEOs; absence of CFO‑specific performance bonus metrics may reduce pay‑for‑performance linkage .
- Hedging not prohibited for NEOs/directors is a governance red flag (potential misalignment with shareholders); investors should monitor any hedging/pledging disclosures and Form 4 activity .
- Going concern language and frequent capital markets activity indicate ongoing dilution risk; CFO’s role in financing is central to runway and trial funding for PMN310 .
- Multi‑company CFO/board roles provide deep capital markets experience but may pose bandwidth/retention risks in periods of heightened financing or audit demands; termination provisions allow 60‑day notice .
Overall: The compensation structure emphasizes fixed consulting fees over variable performance pay, with limited disclosed equity exposure. Combined with permissive hedging language and continued capital needs, investors should monitor cash runway, financing terms, and any changes to CFO engagement/option grants as potential trading signals and governance indicators .